Midnight Memories

chapter 26: and the nightmare begins

Kai's POV

"Please, don't hurt my Mom, please..." I call helplessly, trying my best to break free from the big guy, who is holding my arms behind my back with his paws. I am sure I would feel the pain if I paid attention to it. But no, I need to help my mom.

"Kai," my mom says, her voice weak, trying to keep me still and unharmed when the second guy interrupts her by shouting and glaring at me.

"Shut up, you, punk. Your voice irritates the living shit out of me. This is your fucking Dad's fault. He thought he could run away from us, not pay his debt. Look where it took him." The guy talking to me stands at the other side of the living room, holding my mom by the hair, a gun pointed at her head.

"I promise Dad will give you money, please, let us go. I will do anything... Please, please, please, I will stop talking, I promise. I will stop." I beg, tears running down my cheeks.

Momma always told me, that when I cry my cheeks turn red from the saltiness of my tears. She always says that I have sensitive and pale skin. So pale, that one might even see through me, which is exactly what happens when my Father or other people look at me.

I look at my mom, trying to stop crying but I just can't seem to do that. I am so scared that they will hurt my mom, that they will take her away because she is the only one that buys me my favorite bubble gum and ice cream, the only person that helps me with my homework, and the one person I love most of all. I don't want these men to take her away, I don't want to stay with my Father, he is never home, and when he is, he is always angry at me. I don't want to stay without my mom, I don't want to be alone.

The skinny man starts shouting at me, telling me again to close my mouth, to stop talking, because my voice makes him angry.

I want my momma safe, I want these men to vanish like the bad dream I had days ago.

I shut my eyes as tight as I can, saying a quick prayer in my head, just like my mom taught me to do whenever I am in trouble. I pray for this to be a dream, I pray for them to disappear, I pray for someone, anyone to come and save us.

I open my eyes and they are still there - the big guy holding me, hurting my wrists, almost pulling my arms off, and the skinny one holding Momma, screaming bad words, pushing her around while Mom cries silently, begging him to let me go. Why doesn't God help now? Will he stop it, if I pray more in my head?

"Just let the kid go, please." She says. "Just him. You must have children, don't bring him into this."

"Shut up, you fucking whore." The guy slaps my mom and she falls, hitting her face against the hard floor. Her nose starts bleeding while I shrink, shaking my whole body. This big guy is so heavy. I wish I wasn't this small and bony, if I weren't, I could punch him and escape with Ma. 

"Mom!"

My mom stands up, trying to stop the blood, but it doesn't stop. It just won't.

"I'm okay Kai, just stay calm. Please, baby, stay calm."

I don't listen to her and keep struggling and crying the whole time.

The big guy shouts at me irritated and pushes me toward my momma. My head bumps against the sharp side of the coffee table and I fall in front of my mom.

"Kai, Kai." She wraps her arms around me, hovering above me, my head on her lap now. I feel like I can't breathe. "I can't breathe, Mommy," I think to myself, but don't find enough energy to open my mouth and say the words out loud. I am so tired now, I want to sleep.

"Please breathe with me, Kai. Honey, breathe with me. Don't close your eyes. You can do this." Momma says repeatedly.

I concentrate on my mom, her long light brown hair, big brown eyes that have been my home since the very first day I saw them. My mom... My comfort, my friend, and the only one that loves me, the invisible kid. The only one that I love in this whole world.

My head spins around as if I am on my favorite merry-go-round. But this time I don't like it. I feel like throwing up. The chairs, the walls, the stairs... Everything is moving in circles. I don't like it at all.

And then through the blur slowly covering my eyes, I see the skinny guy put the gun on Momma's head while she keeps telling me to breathe with her and stay awake.

Mom doesn't notice him.

"Momma!" I shout with everything I have, but it feels like I am whispering. "Mom! Turn around!" She doesn't seem to hear what I am saying.

"Momma!" I want to scream. "Turn around, Mom, run! Mom!"

I hear a shotgun...

MOOOOOOOOOOOM!

My Mom freezes for a second before falling next to me, a pair of dirty black leather boots next to her body... her lips still whispering "Breathe with me".

I can't. I am drowning in her blood.